Watch Out for Scam Hunting Operators in Hungary

Published: January - 2012

If you are planning a trophy hunt anywhere in central Europe, particularly in Hungary, take note. As this issue goes to press we've been informed of several cases of alleged fraud being perpetrated there. Specifically hunters are being told they are hunting free-range animals when, in fact, the trophies in question may have been captive-bred and released in a controlled location just prior to the hunt. The information we have comes to us from subscriber Jens Kjaer Knudsen (jens@kjaerknudsen.dk), the chairman of Nordisk Safari Klub. (Their website is http://safariklub.dk, but note that the site is not available in English). We are indebted to Henning Kørvel (hkpress@stofanet.dk) for forwarding us additional details on the incidents in question.

In 2010, a Danish hunter hunted in eastern Hungary near the border with Romania. In three days of hunting, he shot 31 roebuck; 17 scored CIC gold (130 points and up), five scored silver medals, four scored bronze medals, while three others scored 100 points. One was a non-typical (perücke bock in German). The trophy fee for the 31 roebucks was more than $200,000 US. In 2011, this same Danish hunter revisited Hungary and shot two gold medal red stags and many wild pigs. According to the information we have, he was apparently told in advance the size of trophies on offer.

Two other Danes hunting the same district of Hungary also shot a number of gold-medal roebuck. In each case, the hunt took place on open land fields with spots of scrub instead of wooded areas. A car was used for spotting, and the guide often talked to his helpers by cell phone. One hunter reported seeing a horse trailer leaving the area as he and his guide arrived.

Knudsen argues that no wild population of roe deer living under natural conditions could produce so many gold medal trophies. His suspicion is that bucks are kept penned and fed to develop huge trophies, then drugged and transported to an area where the client can be brought in to shoot them in a supposedly free-range........(continued)